


Rumors and Topless Beaches

by goodisrelative



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-07-12
Updated: 2006-07-12
Packaged: 2017-10-18 04:20:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/184908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goodisrelative/pseuds/goodisrelative
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><em>"Well, I heard she knows twenty-seven ways to kill someone." A young woman speaks up, changing the topic slightly.</em></p>
            </blockquote>





	Rumors and Topless Beaches

**Author's Note:**

> This is for [](http://thekatebeyond.livejournal.com/profile)[**thekatebeyond**](http://thekatebeyond.livejournal.com/)'s [](http://gate-haven.livejournal.com/profile)[**gate_haven**](http://gate-haven.livejournal.com/) Summer Challenge and fits in the Langford University Verse. I am sorry but, I am not sure where this fits in the new post on the timeline of stories for [](http://langford-u.livejournal.com/profile)[**langford_u**](http://langford-u.livejournal.com/)!

_**SGA Fanfic: Rumors and Topless Beaches**_  
Title: Rumors and Topless Beaches  
Author: Goodisrelative  
Summary: _"Well, I heard she knows twenty-seven ways to kill someone." A young woman speaks up, changing the topic slightly._  
Pairing: Elizabeth/John  
Warning: None  
Spoilers: None  
Words: 1528  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Stargate Atlantis. I'm just here for a wee bit of not-for-profit fun!  
Author's Note: This is for [](http://thekatebeyond.livejournal.com/profile)[**thekatebeyond**](http://thekatebeyond.livejournal.com/) 's [](http://gate-haven.livejournal.com/profile)[**gate_haven**](http://gate-haven.livejournal.com/) Summer Challenge and fits in the Langford University Verse. I am sorry but, I am not sure where this fits in the new post on the timeline of stories for [](http://langford-u.livejournal.com/profile)[**langford_u**](http://langford-u.livejournal.com/)!  
A/N 2: Thanks to [](http://pixie-on-acid.livejournal.com/profile)[**pixie_on_acid**](http://pixie-on-acid.livejournal.com/) and [](http://futma.livejournal.com/profile)[**futma**](http://futma.livejournal.com/) for betaing this so that I could give thekatebeyond a story she _hadn't_ read/betaed beforehand for * her * challenge!  


* * *

  


She first becomes aware of the rumors when she's running behind for her last review class for her students. They are already in the lecture hall chatting when she comes in through the back. No one sees her and she can observe them for a minute. Snatches of conversations float up to her and she's shocked to be the center of them.

"I heard it's top secret UN work." One student says.

"No, no! NSA. It's work for the NSA." Another shakes her head.

"Well, I heard she knows twenty-seven ways to kill someone." A young woman speaks up, changing the topic slightly.

"Brings new meaning to the words 'femme fatale'," one of the men in her class speaks, grinning. He is the biggest flirt in all her classes, but harmless, too.

Elizabeth clears her throat to stop the speculation before it goes further and walks down to the front of the class.

"Emergency board meeting ran a bit late," she speaks in the way of an explanation.

From then on the class is fully intent on international law, but the rumors never leave her mind. She's positive she knows who started them.

When the review class ends – forty-five minutes after the previously set end time – she's rushing back to her office, knowing she's running behind even more. She won't cut review class for her students. Her mind returns to the rumors. She is positive she knows who started them and as she opens her office door, he's sitting at her desk, smiling like the cat that ate the canary.

"Somebody's late," he sings.

Elizabeth rolls her eyes and shakes her head. "Review class. The students had more questions."

"And you couldn't end until they were ready. Ever the dedicated professor," John adds, knowing her well.

Elizabeth arches a brow and says, "Like you would, Mister-my-review-lasts-three-hours-over-time!"

"My adoring fans," John cringes and she laughs, "demand me, and I heed the call."

"They're good students. And law school is hard. They know what they need to know, they just need the assurance." Elizabeth tells him and motions for him to vacate her chair. "I have another three hours of work before I can leave. That stupid board meeting put me behind in everything."

John grins at her. "You blocked off this much time for your review, even though they only asked for an hour and a half."

"As you said, I am a good professor. I know my students. An hour and a half would never be long enough." She shrugs and drops her bag on her desk.

"And I changed our reservations for take out." John adds, looking smug. "Because I heard about the meeting and knew you had review class."

Elizabeth smiles, knowing he knows her well. "Great. Now leave. I'll be here longer if you stay."

"I'm going. I'll bring the take-out for a break in about an hour and a half." John says and leaves.

*********

It's two days later when it hits her that she's never told John what she is doing for the entire month of July. It's in the day-planner she keeps in her desk as UN work… but she's never told him that. Someone's been snooping in her desk.

So when he asks about her summer plans when they are enjoying a quiet dinner in her backyard, celebrating the end of finals grading, she just smiles mischievously.

"I'm not sure. I never got a consensus whether it is top-secret UN work or NSA work. But I apparently know twenty-seven ways to kill a man, so you better not make me angry."

She doesn't tell him anymore than her calendar told him – that she is doing some work for the UN. It's her little way to get back at him for snooping in her desk.

***********

She doesn't explain that she's doing her usual UN talk schedule. Every two or so years she does the same thing, traveling to different places, giving primers on international law and negotiations at that level to UN and embassy staff and other high level diplomats and military staff. It's a vacation and a reminder of the past all in one. She loves being the dean of Langford University School of Law and would never give it up, but sometimes she misses her diplomatic work. Her summers working for the UN satisfy her desire for that level of work. It makes her a better dean and keeps her sane. She loves the time visiting other parts of the world, traveling and using the multitude of languages she's picked up over her years actually working for the UN. It's a nice relaxing change.

**********

This year she's traveling to Spain and Italy. She gets to spend a lot of time on the beach and while she's there, she indulges in her secret vice of sunbathing on the topless beaches of the Mediterranean.

She walks through a bazaar and spots the perfect present for John. The old aviator's helmet screams his name to her, so she buys it and then ships it to her next-door neighbor with a note, so John can't snoop and find it before she gives it to him. He's collecting her mail while she's gone. Watering her plants too. He knows that if any are dead, he's dead.

**********

She returns relaxed and rejuvenated, even if her schedule was busier than her usual month at the Law School. John's there to pick her up at the airport. He drives her home and she almost wishes she'd had the UN just take her home because John doesn't stop asking her questions.

"What did you do? Where did you go? Who did you see? What did you get me?" the questions never stop. He's like a child, and it's usually a quality she loves in him, but right now the jet lag tells her it is 8 hours later than the time on the dashboard, and that means it is after one am to her body.

"John!" Elizabeth finally yells, getting his attention and making him silence for the first two seconds since she stepped off the jet. "Please, just stop!"

He looks over and sees how tired she is in her eyes and is quiet the rest of the drive to her house. She's asleep two minutes later. When he pulls into her drive, he keeps the car running and leaves the driver's door open. He goes up and opens her front door and then goes back to the car and opens her door and carries her inside to her room. He places her gently on her bed and puts a blanket over her before heading back out to the car. He turns off the engine, shuts the doors he's left open and then brings in her bags.

He makes sure the blinds in her bedroom are closed and then goes out to the kitchen and fixes himself a snack. He stocked the refrigerator yesterday for her. He's not ready to sleep, so he takes his snack and sits on the chaise lounge out on the patio.

Elizabeth finds him there a few hours later, asleep and sits on the other lounge chair they had bought together, watching him sleep. He looks like an innocent child in sleep and she loves that. She loves how child-like he can be, and how serious he can be. He makes her relax and have fun but he's strong enough for her to lean on too.

After a few minutes, she shakes him gently and tells him to come to bed. Neither of them is young enough to be sleeping on a lounge chair anymore.

The next morning, while John is showering, Elizabeth starts coffee and runs next door for the helmet.

The box is sitting next to his coffee and she's at the stove making eggs for breakfast when he gets out of the shower.

"Where did this come from?" he asks, eyeing the box. "You had it shipped next door! You little sneak!"

Elizabeth just laughs at his words and the sheer joy on his face as he opens the box and sees what is inside.

"I saw it when I walked off the topless beach at this bazaar. It screamed your name, so I had it shipped back to Charlie with a note. Do you like it?" Elizabeth asks, knowing the answer and waiting.

"It's awesome, Lizzie! I can't believe you got this!" John cries, taking the helmet out of the box.

"There's a story behind it too. I have letters from the owner and I talked to the granddaughter of the man who used it in World War II." Elizabeth tells him, waiting still for her words to reach him.

It's two seconds later when she sees it in his eyes. "Wait a minute!" He shouts. "Topless beach?"

Elizabeth can't hold in the laughter and she plates the eggs and starts to breathe again a minute later. "Took you long enough!"

"You little minx! You distracted me with the helmet!" John whines and then his eyes are sparkling with mischief when he speaks again. "So did you sunbathe topless?"

Elizabeth smiles "Wouldn't you like to know!"  



End file.
